Officials say fight led to shooting in June

Share via e-mail

Authorities said today they have identified the man who allegedly unleashed a barrage of gunfire at a house party in Roxbury that killed two men and a woman this summer.

Jael Romero, 23, who is being held in Bristol County on unrelated charges, is now charged with three counts of second-degree murder, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm, for the June 22 slayings in the 100 block of Intervale Street, authorities said.

“This defendant was arrested with the help of the community and the relentless detectives who pursued every lead,” Evans said in a statement. “This arrest sends a clear message to anyone who seeks to commit violent acts in our neighborhoods – we will find you and bring you to justice.”

Conley, whose office oversaw a five-month grand jury investigation, said he hoped that “the community feels some satisfaction knowing that there will be accountability for this terrible crime, and I hope the victims’ families take some comfort knowing that we never lost sight of their loved ones as we pursued this result.”

According to authorities, the victims and Romero were all at the party when an argument broke out in the early morning hours between a friend of Romero’s and the two male victims, Garcia and Tirado. Romero then allegedly pulled out a gun and shot all three.

Cruz, who moved to the Boston area from Puerto Rico, was the mother of twin 3-year-old girls.

The Globe reported this summer that Garcia earned his GED last year and had started working over 40 hours a week for W.B. Mason as a stockperson. He was also the “building captain’’ and vowed to treat his younger sister to a fast food restaurant upon her graduation from middle school.

At the time of the gunfire, Romero was free on $10,000 cash bail set in a Boston courtroom after he was arraigned on illegal possession of a firearm charges, according to prosecutors. Romero was arrested by Boston police on Aug. 27, 2012, when officers allegedly found a .380-caliber handgun loaded with seven rounds of ammunition in his car.

He is currently being held on gun and stolen car charges in Bristol County, according to prosecutors.

He is to be arraigned on the murder charges in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston in early December.